Bengaluru: Rebel MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, who has been suspended by the BJP, on Thursday said vested interests who rampantly indulged in adjustment politics weakening the party in Karnataka have gone scott free, while those who wanted to reform it to end the one family-centered politics have been suspended or given notices.
He said he will continue to abide and work by the principle of “Nation First, Party Next, Self Last”, in letter, spirit and practice.
The BJP on Wednesday expelled rebel MLA and former union minister Yatnal from the primary membership of the party for six years, for repeated violations of the party discipline.
Factional rift had been out in public in the BJP for some time now, with a section led by Bijapur City MLA Yatnal demanding party state president B Y Vijayendra’s outster from the post.
He had been openly critical of Vijayendra, accusing him of indulging in “adjustment politics” with the ruling Congress. He has also been criticising Vijayendra and his father — veteran leader and former CM B S Yediyurappa– for trying to keep the party under their clutches.
“Those vested interests who rampantly indulged in adjustment politics weakening the party in Karnataka and leading to its defeat in the impregnable fortress of BJP such as Kalburgi, Koppal, Raichur, Bellary, Chikkodi constituencies have gone scott free without any disciplinary action ; while those who wanted to reform the party by wanting to end the one man upmanship and family-centered politics have been suspended or given notices,” Yatnal posted on ‘X’.
He said two legislators, who have openly rebelled against the party and seen supporting the Congress party, have either been ignored or sent a notice only after being pressurised by the party workers.
The high command has completely ignored the defeat of the party and the weakening of the party in the Kalyana Karnataka region which we built from scratch three decades ago. “The high command is clueless about the defeat of the party in the North Karnataka region where BJP has a very strong voter base, particularly Panchamasali Lingayats. It has also ignored the adjustment politics resulting in the defeat of BJP in the by-polls in Shiggaon which was held by former CM Basavaraj Bommai,” Yatnal said.
“Failure of the party to aggressively counter the policies of the Congress government led to its defeat in the by-polls – a factor conveniently ignored by the high command,” he added.
Seen as a strong proponent of “Hindutva”, this is 61-year-old Yatnal’s third expulsion from the party in 15 years. He was earlier expelled by BJP in 2010 and 2015.
Noting that some leaders in the state are now masquerading as carriers of the party legacy will only cause the party’s downfall in the days to come, Yatnal said, “I had single handedly took on the ruling dispensation in Karnataka by launching the Waqf protests and ensuring justice to farmers. The documentation we submitted to the JPC was well received and appreciated by its Chairman Jagadambika Pal.” “I spent my resources and engaged my legal team to fight the withdrawal of CBI consent in the disproportionate assets case about Deputy CM D K Shivakumar without expecting any political benefits. Besides, I have filed a writ petition before the Hon’ble High Court on the Valmiki Board misappropriation case and was one of the fewest legislators to speak in detail about the non-allocation of funds to North Karnataka,” he said.
The development works undertaken by him have been conveniently ignored by the party, instead, it has succumbed to the pressure initiated by certain vested interests to remove him from the party as he was a thorn in their flesh, he added.
Further stating that while the party’s leadership is silent on the series of defeats in the Lok Sabha constituencies previously held by BJP and the by-polls, it has taken action on him for breach of discipline, Yatnal said. “My comments on certain vested interests inside the party and the spineless and docile leadership in Karnataka were made out of insider insight and outsiders’ objectivity. ” “I believe street veto has defeated reforms in Karnataka. The infighting, undercurrents and adjustment politics will take the party to a new low in Karnataka unless reforms are undertaken. The urgency in taking disciplinary action against senior leaders despite giving in detailed response to the notices can be seen as a case of ‘Marry in Haste, Repent at Leisure’,” he added.
While a section of the party workers celebrated the expulsion of Yatnal, his supporters in Vijayapura submitted their resignations of the party posts, condemning the high command’s decision.
